Saturday, February 18, 2006

Oppose Loyalist March

SAOIRSE calls on all true Republicans to opposethe loyalist march due to take place through thecentre of Dublin on Saturday, February 25.This call is made for three reasons:

1) One body sponsoring the march, FAIR (FamiliesActing for Innocent Relatives) claims for loyalists anear monopoly on suffering in Ireland since themid-1960s. This is not in accordance with the facts.In the struggle for the national liberation of Irelandover the past several decades,over 1,000 members of the British Occupation Forceswere killed. Further, more than 1,000 innocent anduninvolved nationalists were deliberately done todeath by loyalist death squads working in collusionwith the British forces.The Sunday Business Post of September 4, 2005 gave thefollowing statistics: “Of the 698 Protestants (sic)killed during violence in the North, 340 died at thehands of loyalists. Since the first ceasefires in1994, the vast majority of Protestant (sic)victims have been killed by loyalists in internecinefeuds.”It would appear then that FAIR should be marching onthe UDA and UVF headquarters in Belfast ratherthan through the centre of Dublin to Leinster House.In their progress through O’Connell Street, they willpass by Sackville Place (by the side of Clery’sdepartment store) where two CIE busmen were killed byloyalist no-warning bombs in December 1972. Will FAIRpause at that spot and pay respects?To highlight the fact that there is no hierarchy insuffering, Republican Sinn Féin’s President, Ruairí ÓBrádaigh will, before the loyalist march moves off,lay a wreath at the end of Talbot Street – oppositeConnolly station – at the memorial to the 33 innocentvictims, both Catholic and Protestant, killed byloyalist bombs in Dublin and Monaghan on May 17, 1974.This will be done with respect and dignity.Listed on page three in this issue are the names ofanother 13 victims killed by loyalists south of theBorder from Donegal to Cavan, Monaghan and Louth.British forces colluded in these deaths also, andrefused 30 years later to cooperate in inquiries intothe tragedies.In the 26 Counties, the Department of Justice “lost”the files relating to these victims of imperialism andGarda Headquarters “mislaid” their files also. Itseems the lives of citizens counted for very little.

2) The second reason for opposing the march is thatRepublicans stand in solidarity with the beleaguerednationalists of the Garvaghy Road, Ardoyne, Dunloy andother such areas that have had triumphalist loyalistmarches imposed on them forcefully year after year.They are made witnesses of their own humiliation.The 26-County Administration, by collaborating withthis loyalist march, has effectively turned its backon all those, north and south, who have suffered atthe hands of British-backed death squads down thedecades.The question which has not been asked in this debateis whether nationalist parades, of whatever kind, oreven Civil Rights marches would be allowed through thecentre of Portadown or down Belfast’s Royal Avenue?The British forces would certainly block them.When the British government finally leaves Ireland andloyalist marches will no longer be a question ofsupremacy of Unionists over Nationalists, then allinterests will be welcome and free to parade whereverthey choose.Reference has been made to the Orange section of theIrish National Tricolour. This applies to the IrishProtestant population, in general, not all of whom arecoat-trailing Orangemen.When he brought the Irish Tricolour from Paris andpresented it as a symbol of inclusivity to the Irishpeople on April 15, 1848, Thomas Francis Meagher said:“The White in the centre signifies a lasting trucebetween the Orange and the Green, and I trust thatbeneath its folds the hands of the Irish Protestantand the Irish Catholic may be clasped in generous andheroic brotherhood.“If this flag is destined to fan the flames of war,let England behold once more, upon that white centre,the Red Hand that struck her down from the hills ofUlster.”Before the loyalist march on February 25, RepublicanSinn Féin will assemble at the Parnell monument at thetop of O’Connell Street beneath a banner which bearsthe immortal words of Wolfe Tone, the Father of IrishRepublicanism:“Unite Protestant, Catholic and Dissenter” … “To Breakthe Connection with England.”The pamphlet “An Address to the People of Ireland”...which “makes special appeal to the people of theUnionist persuasion” will be distributed.The text includes an appeal “to everybody to consideragain our ÉIRE NUA programme for a four-provincefederal Ireland, with optimum devolution of powersdown to community level”.ÉIRE NUA concludes: “These proposals are notdefinitive; they can and inevitably will be modified.Sinn Féin Poblachtach would in fact welcomeconstructive criticism of these proposals.”

3) The third reason to oppose this loyalist march isclear. For some time now the 26-County StateEstablishment has sought to bring the Queen of Englandon an official state visit to Dublin.Remember this crowned head claims to be “Queen ofNorthern Ireland” as well as of “Great Britain”. Sucha personage making such a claim has not been seen inDublin for 95 years – since 1911.The proposed loyalist march is very definitely part ofa softening-up process for an Official Visit to Dublinby an English Queen claiming part of Ireland. The likehas not been seen since Partition in 1921.And now, on the 90th anniversary of the 1916 Rising,the siren voices tell Republicans to ignore thisloyalist march. If we do, they will return with evengreater insistence and tell us to ignore the stateVisit of the Queen of England.In other words, to stay away, make no protest, andaccept finally that the Six Occupied Counties belongto England. Is that what you want?NEVER.